The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-22
An Incident of the War.
"Cover my defenceless head
With the shadow of thy wing.

A party Of Northern tourists formed
Fart of a large company gathered on
the deck of an excursion steamer that
was moving slowly down the historic
Potomac one beautiful evening in the
summer of 1881. A gentleman who
has since gained national reputation
as an evangelist of song had been de-
lighting the party with his happy rem
dering of many familiar hymns, the
last being the sweet petition so dear to
every Christian heart, "Jesus lover OF
my soul"
The singer gave the first two verses
with much feeling, and a peculiar em-
phasis upon the concluding lines that
thrilled every heart. A hush had fall
en- upon The listeners that was not bro
ken for some seconds after the musical
notes had died away. Then a gentle
man made his way from the outskirts
of the crowd to the side Of the singer,
and accosted him with, beg your par
don, stranger, but were you actively
engaged in the late WARP"
"l es sir" the man of song answer
ed, courteously; II fought under Cen
eral Grant"
"Well," the first speaker continued,
with something like sigh, II did my
fighting on the other side, and think,
indeed am quite sure, was very near
you one bright night eighteen years
ago this very month. It was much
such a night as this. If I am not mis-
taken, you were on guard duty. We
of the South had sharp business on
hand, and you were one of the enemy.
I crept near your post of duty, my
murderous weapon in my hand; the
shadow hid me. AS you paced back
and forth you were humming the tune
of the hymn you have just sung. !
raised my gun and aimed at your heart,
and had been selected by our COM
mander for the work because was a
sure shot. Then out upon the night
rang the words:
Cover my defenceless head
With the shadow Of thy wing.
"Your prayer was answered. I
couldn't shoot after that. And there
was no attack made upon your camp
that night. I felt sure when I heard
you sing this evening, that you were
the man whose life I was spared from
taking"
The singer grasped the hand of the
Southerner and said with much emo
ton, II remember the night very
we'll, and distinctly the feeling of de-
preston and loneliness with which i
went forth to my duty. knew my
post was one of great danger, and l
was more detected than I remem ber to
have been at any other time during
the service. paced my lonely beat,
thinking of home and friends and all
that life holds dear. Then the thought
of Gods care for all that he has Gre
ated came to me with peculiar force.
If he so cared for the sparrow, how
much more for man created in his own
image; and sang the prayer of my
heart, and ceased to feel alone. How
the prayer was answered I never knew
until this evening. My Heavenly Fa-
ther thought best to keep the knowl-
edge from me for eighteen years.
How much of his goodness to us we
shall be ignorant of until it is revealed
by the light of eternity! Jesus, lover
of my SOUL has been favorite hymn;
now it will be inexpressibly dear"
The incident related in the above
sketch is tr1e one, and was related to
writer by lady who was one OF the
party on the steamer.
GIt is not to be wondered al, that he
"could not shoot after that" But it
does seem marvellous that one whose
heart was tender enough so to sing of
and trust in Jesus, clover of his SOUL"
could ever deliberately take the life of
a fellow man, fighting "under Grant"
or any other commander.-Ed. Fields
Review.